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BlackBerry escapes UAE ban
BlackBerry services will not be suspended in the United Arab Emirates next week, the UAE’s state news agency has reported.
By Shane Richmond, Head of Technology (Editorial)
Published: 12:10PM BST 08 Oct 2010
BlackBerry users in the UAE have won a reprieve. Photo: Rex Features
The UAE had threatened to suspend BlackBerry services unless RIM, which manufactures the devices, would allow the government to access messages sent by BlackBerry users. WAM, the UAE’s news agency, reported: “The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has confirmed that Blackberry services are now compliant with the UAE's telecommunications regulatory framework. Therefore all Blackberry services in the UAE will continue to operate as normal and no suspension of service will occur on October 11, 2010.”
RIM has also been involved in disputes in recent months with the governments of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Lebanon and India over its BlackBerry services because of the way messages are handled. BlackBerry data is encrypted and sent through RIM’s own servers. Several governments have expressed concern at this arrangement, claiming that BlackBerry messages could be used by terrorists or those who want to flout Islamic laws.
In August, the Indian government extended its deadline for suspending BlackBerry services after RIM reached a deal allowing limited access to BlackBerry data. Three years ago, the French government banned officials from using BlackBerry devices because of fears that the data could be intercepted. Barack Obama, the American president, still uses his BlackBerry but it has extra security measures in place.
